KCSO tracks, arrests burglary suspect

Using bloodhounds, Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) deputies tracked and arrested Ronald Outen, 34, and charged him with second degree burglary and third degree assault Tuesday after he broke into a woman’s home on Roberts Road in Elgin and assaulted her.

Sheriff Jim Matthews said that dispatchers received a “frantic” 911 call from a woman who said a man -- later identified as Outen -- broke into her home and assaulted her. Matthews said Outen fled after the victim began screaming. KCSO deputies arrived at the scene and immediately called the bloodhound tracking unit to the area, he said.

Matthews said the bloodhounds helped deputies locate and arrest Outen approximately 1 1/2 mile from the woman’s home in a wooded area near Eskie Dixon Road. Matthews said the KCSO bloodhound tracking team has experienced a high level of success in tracking suspects in a variety of crimes and that it is an exceptionally valuable asset to the sheriff’s office.

“These bloodhounds and the trackers really do an outstanding job. We are fortunate to have them,” Matthews said.

He said Outen has a prior arrest and conviction for malicious injury to personal property and is currently being held at the Kershaw County Detention Center awaiting a bond hearing.